• Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar

  • Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes
  • By: Thomas Cathcart, Daniel Klein
  • Narrated by: Johnny Heller
  • Length: 4 hrs and 7 mins
  • 3.9 out of 5 stars (369 ratings)

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Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar  By  cover art

Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar

By: Thomas Cathcart, Daniel Klein
Narrated by: Johnny Heller
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Publisher's summary

Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein, longtime philosophers and comedians, present Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar, an entertaining, enlightening, and engaging guide to the love of wisdom. With their combined knowledge, wit, and whimsy, the authors provide a book that can be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone, from the curious layman to the most well-versed professor of Nicomachean Ethics.
©2007 Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein (P)2004 Recorded Books LLC

Critic reviews

"I laughed, I learned, I loved it!" (Roy Blount Jr.)

What listeners say about Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Not impressive

I am thoroughly unimpressed. This was neither good humor nor a good explanation of philosophical ideas.

Although I expected an atheistic viewpoint from a work on philosophy, I was not ready for the crude blasphemy of some of these "jokes". I wasn't able to listen to the book all the way through because of this. But I really didn't want to anyway. It was pretty boring.

If I were to teach a course on philosophy, I would certainly use humor. But I hope I'd do a better job of it than this book did.

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34 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Had fun and learned a few things!

The reading was done in an energetic way, as it should be for a book based on jokes. The book covers history, famous thinkers, theology, many of the 'ism's like feminism and language issues. A few of the jokes I replayed then told my co-workers that day or the next. Highly recommend for fun learning.

And I disagree that it disrespects faith/religion. There are jokes about a variety of beliefs including non-belief and dis-belief. They are not extreme or disrespectful, at least not compared to common bar jokes.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Content, Annoying Voice

Any additional comments?

I've read this book before and it's been one of my favorites for a while now. Unfortunately, the audiobook didn't quite meet the high standard set by the book itself. Although the content was all there, I found it extremely hard to get past the fact that the narrator's voice is annoying as hell.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Witty, entertaining and educational

You will find that the reader's comedic timing may not be perfect; the philosophical concepts snipped in brevity and perhaps a bit incomplete.. You may find some of the jokes target theism and other beliefs that if you hold too closely or restrict your views too narrowly then offense may follow. You may also find some of the jokes a bit lame regardless of target.. but that's comedy. In the end, if you are like me, you will find it entertaining, somewhat thought provoking and best served in rations of a chapter or so at a time. All in all though its a worthwhile experience unless you are callused, closed off or easily offended in which case it may be preferable to stick with the tepid waters of preacher humor for your comedy and the pablum of Strobel for your philosophy. For all others, its a fun ride.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Unbearable

The idea of explaining philosophy through jokes is an interesting one, but what it means in practice is that the authors tell a joke and then just explain it to death. Over and over again. There is no particular depth to these explanations.

The narrator does a lot of schlocky accents. I mean, it's just awful.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Interesting but....

do not like this narrator. Poor timing spoils the humor.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Sophmoric

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

50/50. I liked the intro to philosophy and concepts but I just felt like the book was written by a bunch of college frat boys who associate everything with some kind of sexual reference as if it was the only thing people could relate to.

What could Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Change their jokes!

Would you listen to another book narrated by Johnny Heller?

Yes.

Do you think Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

If they were going to delve deeper into the content, sure. If not, no.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

surprisingly refreshing and mentally stimulating

Would you listen to Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar again? Why?

Yes I would listen to Plato and a Platypus walk into a bar again and again as the humor moves at such a fast pace that on many occaisions the message gets lost in the immediacy of the puchline.
I find that Jewish humor being so fast, requires careful listening to get the real message of Plato's reasoning.
Being a reader rather than a listener I found it difficult to listen for more than a few minutes at a time . then I would stop it and review what i had heard and more importantly what i had gained from the expwerience.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I didn't have a favourite .

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

This is my first Audible encounter and I am sure I will be having more on a regular basis.
It's just that I find it an entirely different medium.
Thank you.
John Arthur daley

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Hilariously serious

Makes you think fast and laugh out loud! Quite clever and made me feel light and joyful while embracing such a dense topic.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Short and humorous look at the philosophies

A lighthearted and simple view into philosophy. A good source for some corny jokes. Although most of them are old, there were a few that I’m saving.

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